Judith Potts was an actress and is now a voice, acting and presentation coach. She is married with two children, three stepchildren and is the proud grandmother to two grandsons. She lives in west London and Yorkshire. In 2008 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She can be contacted at judith.potts@telegraph.co.uk and is on Twitter @JudithPotts.

The hidden price tag of cancer – both financial and psychological

Recent research by the Lead Psychologist at Maggie's – the Cancer Caring Centres – has identified that one in five people with cancer will experience post traumatic stress disorder after treatment and that over 29 per cent will experience anxiety and depression. I am not sure that this will come as any great surprise to cancer patients. A cancer diagnosis brings with it stress of all different kinds. Now it has a name.

Laura Lee (CEO of Maggie's) said "The psychologists at each of our Centres were recognising a symptom called Transition Distress when talking to the many people with cancer who visit Maggie's for practical, emotional and social support." The fear of recurrence, changed life perceptions and failure to adjust to normal life can impact on mental health. Symptoms usually emerge six months on from cancer treatment when family and colleagues expect you to have put it all behind you.

Maggie’s response to Transitional Distress has been to expand its programme – Where Now? – to include those suffering from PTSD. The charity recognises too that – with the ever-increasing numbers of cancer diagnoses – there is a vital need for this sort of support. "Our aim is to support people to resume as normal a life as possible and find the best way forward through the transition period after treatment."

For those of us who have experienced the feeling of being left "out in the moonlight" once treatment is over or that the five year mark has been reached, we know all too well how easy it is to feel totally overwhelmed by the prospect of the cancer returning. We all know about the perceived need to wear the mask of "all is well" or by striving to cope with a different lifestyle – possibly because of a lack of financial support.

The latter is highlighted by both Target Ovarian Cancer – whose Pathfinder Study discovered that one in three women with ovarian cancer loses £860 a month because she is either unable to work at all, or has had to reduce her hours – and Macmillan, whose campaign Cancer's Hidden Price Tag points to four in every five cancer patients facing an average monthly bill of £570 because of their diagnosis.

Travel costs to hospital or parking fees, increased fuel bills (cancer patients feel the cold) and prescription costs mean a huge increase in expense, at a time when the initial sick pay may have run out. Particularly for those who are self-employed, a cancer diagnosis may carry a financial cost. It is all very well kind people suggesting a visit to a Spa, a Theatre or a day out – but there may not be enough to cover day-to-day living, never mind extras. This is where The Eleanor Rose Foundation's Ellie's Friends will come into its own with a list of local free offers from support groups and individuals.

The RBS Group has donated funds to Macmillan to support the launch and implementation of Macmillan's Financial Guidance Service. This gives free, independent advice and tailored guidance on everything from mortgages to pensions. Call 0808 800 0000 or log on to Macmillan's website.

There is also a Fuel Management Programme in consort with Macmillan, run by Npower. This programme helps customers of Npower who have cancer and who spend more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel and have limited savings. There may well be other Utility companies who run similar programmes.

It is worth noting that prescriptions are free for cancer patients in England but Macmillan's research has found that some cancer patients do not realise this and are paying for their medicines. Prescription charges do not exist in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Some hospitals have a parking fee waiver scheme for cancer patients – but not all. I doubt that public transport offers a similar ticket waiver scheme – perhaps that might be included in Macmillan's campaign? When you experience a huge reduction in income but also have increased expenditure due to a cancer diagnosis, which was out of your control, it seems hardly fair to find yourself facing the loss of a home, a business, a job or a lifestyle.

Ciaran Devane – CEO of Macmillan Cancer Support – said "Cancer costs the equivalent of a second mortgage. We must act now to protect the financially vulnerable from having to foot the bill for their illness."

Please email me if you have experienced either Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after a cancer diagnosis and tell me how you coped with it – or if you found financial hardship for you and/or your family during your cancer treatment.

I would be grateful, too, to hear of any money-saving schemes offered to cancer patients.